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But a loss of form and change in regulations hurt him badly and he began to drift down the rankings. His hot putter began to cool.

With the anchoring ban coming into force, Simpson ripped up his well-honed technique. In 2015, perhaps his worst season, he ranked 174th in putting.

Back in the winner’s circle

This year, though, his game has clicked back into gear and the ruthlessness he displayed at TPC Sawgrass ensured that by Sunday morning he was already out of sight.

“I’ve never putted this well in my life, and I think if I had stayed with the belly putter—I think I maybe averaged 35th to 60th every year in putting, so very average—and this year I think I’m in the top 10,” he said.

“It’s funny how those things happen, but, you know, this is probably the first time I can say I’m glad they banned it, because I wouldn’t have ever probably swayed away from the belly putter.”

A low-key round of 73 carried him over the line but the damage was done in three flawless days of extraordinary golf from Thursday to Saturday.

A near-perfect 63 on Friday saw him equal the course record and only a trip to the water on the notoriously difficult par-three 17th prevented a new lowest total.

That meant he arrived with a healthy seven-shot lead, ensuring that not even Tiger Woods, who made a front-nine charge, could cause him to panic.

“It's probably harder work to be ahead by five or six. I learned from it, I battled through,” he added.

"I didn't have my best stuff but it was good enough."

Destined for the top

From a young age, Simpson was always expected to achieve success.

He finished high school as the top-ranked junior in the country, earning the Arnold Palmer Scholarship to attend Wake Forest, where he went on to be a four-time All-American and was named ACC Player of the Year in 2008.